The British Empire influenced many aspects of the world we live in today. The international system remains heavily marked by British imperialism, and the borders, nations, and federations it created. This Very Short Introduction introduces and defines the British Empire, reviewing how it evolved into such a force, and the legacy it left behind.

From the eighteenth century until the 1950s the British Empire was the biggest political entity in the world. The territories forming this empire ranged from tiny islands to vast segments of the world's major continental land masses. The British Empire left its mark on the world in a multitude of ways, many of them permanent.

In this Very Short Introduction, Ashley Jackson introduces and defines the British Empire, reviewing its historiography by answering a series of key questions: What was the British Empire, and what were its main constituent parts? What were the phases of imperial expansion and contraction and the general causes of expansion and contraction? How was the Empire ruled? What were its economic effects? What were the cultural implications of empire, in Britain and its colonies? What was life

like for people living under imperial rule? What are the legacies of the British Empire and how should we view its place in world history?

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Professor Jackson has crafted a wide-ranging yet remarkably short introduction that successfully condenses recent scholarship without overwhelming the non-expert.

Jackson's pithy survey will be a welcome guide for anyone wanting to explore the wider picture without drowning in the literature.

Ashley Jackson is Professor of Imperial and Military History at King's College, London. His books include Mad Dogs and Englishmen: a Grand Tour of the British Empire at its Height (Quercus, 2009), The British Empire and the Second World War, (Hambledon Continuum, 2006); and Churchill (Quercus, 2011).